From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
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Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
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She sighs at that. ”Yes, well, it seems that it is now my job as well as yours to protect others. We will be running into a lot of danger, I fear.” She wouldn’t have minded a life just running the Kraai, making cider and pouring drinks, yet that was her life when she’d run into danger anyway. Maybe she cannot help flirting with death.
She lets him comb through her hair, even if fingers will do little good. Still, she doesn’t mind letting him touch her, not that he needs any particular excuse to do so. She’d simply let him so long as it was appropriate (you know, so maybe not in the middle of a cabinet meeting).
”I rather like your brother, honestly. In some other universe where all this didn’t happen, I imagine we became friends. I am sorry that may not happen now. Though I do not think it will be a hard conversation with him.” No, she honestly expected Neron to be reasonable. He’d handed over his title reasonably, so why not continue in that vein?
At the mention of things she should do, she nods, very aware. She grabs the bottle of whiskey and downs a bit more. ”That is the best you are getting when it comes to food.” Though she may feel no remorse for burning cultists alive, she cannot say she has an appetite either. ”As for the bath and the sleeping, are you joining me?” There’s no expectation in that, or even really desire. Rather, she’d rather just be with him, and besides, he needed both as well.
Loren pressed his lips together. "Actually, you have a far harder job." Giving Weaver an inscrutable look, he sighed. "Sending others into danger, while you stay safely behind and coordinate efforts." While she could be frontline leader if she wanted, the truth was that sometimes she'd need to order others into situations that could get them hurt or killed.
"I do." He rubbed his face again, this time with both hands. "He's proud. Maybe too proud to accept this defeat gracefully." Shaking his head, he lowered his hands to his lap. "If you manage to appeal to his vanity, though, he might just be willing to listen to you."
Taking the bottle, he took a sip, though not much. "Fine. Yes. I'd...I'd like that. But...just sleeping, okay?" Looking away, he rubbed his palms against his thighs, hoping he wouldn't have to explain why he wasn't up for more.
She sighs at that. ”Yes, sometimes. But I will not sit here and ask people to do what I will not.” There would be times for each, she knows, but they cannot expect her to just stay safe and let everyone else die for her all the time.
”I am not sure you and I mean hard in the exact same way. Do I expect him to be nice? No, not really. But...I don’t know. I’m not sure I can explain it other than to say it will not be like talking to Zariah.” Proud he may be, but if it were her in his shoes, she’d be at least vaguely helpful. Probably annoyed, but really, she did believe he meant well by Halo. Even if he’d screwed that up, it hadn’t been on purpose. Besides, she knew how to flatter a man.
”You can take your own bath, but you do actually need one. And maybe some clean clothes. I can find you something.” Granted, she doesn’t actually get up to do so. Honestly she’s more inclined to just forget the bath or the clean clothes and just lie down curled in his arms. It would be enough.
05-19-2020, 08:47 PM (This post was last modified: 05-19-2020, 08:47 PM by Loren.)
Shaking his head at Weaver's words, Loren sighed. "You are going to have to get comfortable asking people to do things you cannot or should not though. I don't doubt you can though."
Giving her a flat look, he pinched his nose. "He spent a full season sulking because Zariah got the better of him and then decided the only solution to his problem was to Ascend, pissing off the Eirachi in the process, rather than, oh gee, I don't know, ask for help?" Lowering his hand, he grimaced. "But yes, talking to him will be far easier than talking to her." However, he didn't envy her either conversation.
"Oh sorry, yes. Bath too. My mind is...well, you get it. I just meant...sleep. Actual sleep. Bath then sleep." He was clearly exhausted, as evidenced by his less than eloquent response, but he had some strength left in him. Gathering her in his arms, he stood up, picking her up as he did. He figured that if nothing else the indignity would get her to go to the bath willingly.
”Yes, fine. Sometimes. I will not be a fool. But nor will I remain as Warden very long if I am a coward.” The people would not follow her if she did not, at least on occasion, stand with them. So stand with them she would.
She nods, understanding. ”That is about all I can hope for, easier than Zariah. I am vaguely tempted to just give her a sentence and be done with it, though I suppose I should hear her out. And I am aware of her ability to compel by touch, so you don’t need to warn me.” She’s gotten plenty of warnings about Zariah from the Grounders when the only threat was her as Archmage. What would they say now, if they knew Zariah’s fate hung in Weaver’s hands? They’d probably tell Weaver to hang her and be done with it.
He scoops her up, and she just stares at him. ”You don’t even know where you are going,” she points out, squirming out of his arms even if she doesn’t actually want to. But it is clear that, despite his title, she would be taking care of him tonight. Though her mind still races with all that has happened, she can think, at least, unlike when she’d walked into this room. Though she can still smell the burned flesh of the cultists, she can breathe past it. Her brother had been more right in his joke of title than he realized. She was nothing more than the double-edged blade she wields.
Still, she cares about the people of Halo, and she cares about the man in front of her. So she leads him to the bath. ”You can handle the water?” she asks, finding some tiny bit of magic left in her and managing to get the fire started beneath the tub so it could warm. With that, she leaves him, disappearing for a moment and coming back with clothes in her arms. She tosses them his way. ”Should fit well enough for now.”
Loren raised his eyebrows at Weaver. "You also won't remain Warden very long if you insist on flinging yourself headlong into danger, for a much less pleasant reason." Still, he sighed, and inclined his head in acknowledgement of her point.
However, his eyes widened in surprise when she mentioned Zariah's ability. "Wait. She can do what?!" This was one shock too many, and he let out another of those hysterical laughs. "Of course she can. Why am I even surprised at this point?" He shook his head, not quite able to process this latest bit of news.
"Then I'll check every room." Despite the stubborn tone and set of his jaw, he really was just doing this to spur her into action. Therefore, when she protested, he set her down easily enough. However, he kept hold of one hand, almost clinging to it, not quite willing to let her go entirely.
As she lit the fire, he opened his mouth to protest. Then promptly closed it, and just waved hand over the tub. It immediately filled with water that was the perfect temperature for a bath. Stripping slowly, wincing at the occasional ache or pain, he peeled off his clothes. Gesturing for her to get in first, he looked around for soap and cloths.
When she returned with clothes, he caught them instinctively. "Please don't tell me these are Korbin's." The last thing he wanted was to get into a squabble over taking her brother's things.
Honestly, there was a good chance she wouldn’t remain Warden long no matter what she did. It was a cursed job, and one they just tended to go without more often than not. That had been vastly easier to do when they’d only needed to worry about themselves and not the rest of Caido as well though. ”Warden’s don’t last long here. I’m not sure we should be hoping for a happy ending right now.” Her voice is quiet at that, but honest.
She gives him a rather surprised look when he doesn’t know what Zariah can do. ”It’s possible I’m wrong, but that’s the rumor I’ve been warned about, anyway. Something about suggestivity magic if she touches you. I don’t know more than that.” Though no, none of them should be surprised.
He holds one hand, and she is not sorry that he doesn’t let go. He’s keeping her grounded, even if he doesn’t realize that’s what he’s doing. She can be strong for them. Maybe that is where her invincible exterior comes from - all those around her.
She’s gone before he fills the tub, but if he’d bothered to protest she’d just point out she liked when the bottom of the metal tub was nice and warm too. Still, when she comes back, she kills the fire so they don’t burn on the metal instead. ”Erebor’s, she says softly. ”Korbin won’t notice.” Korbin would hate that she was loaning out clothes, but then again, sometimes he didn’t have a heart. Loren had nothing right now, and no reasonable way to get to his few possessions.
She strips out of her filthy, ruined clothing, throwing it into the corner of the room to deal with later (which probably means Korbin will scold her for leaving it there and then handle it for her). She slips into the bath, soap and a cloth in hand, disappearing under the water to rise her hair out.
"Fuck that." The vehemence in his voice surprised even Loren. Still, he reached up to cup Weaver's cheeks between his palms. "I have earned a fucking happy ending for once in my godsdamn life." There was something low and dangerous in his voice, and he wasn't sure if his words were a promise or a threat.
Probably both.
Nodding in understanding, he sighed. "I heard that rumor too. I just wasn't sure if it was true or if Zariah's reputation and knack for manipulation had gained mystical qualities." He still spoke in a dark tone, and his eyes had that icily murderous light in them.
Opening his mouth to protest, he finally closed it. Instead, he just held the clothes carefully, before setting them down. "Thank you." Following her into the bath, he stayed above water. Taking the cloth and soap from her, he began to gently, almost gingerly, wash the dirt, grime, and blood from her skin.
She is surprised by his vehemence, and yet there is something sad in her eyes. How would this end? What was she thinking when she stood there and took a job she had no business taking? There is nothing she can say back, and instead she stretches up to kiss him, her hands finding his neck. A kiss that says so much more than she ever could. A promise to love him no matter what; but there are no other promises she can make.
Weaver shrugs slightly. ”It’s possible the rumor has grown out of control, but we know there are unique magics out there.” In the end, better to be safe than sorry. Better to just assume it’s true and not let Zariah touch any of them.
As he slips into the tub, she surfaces, pulling her wet hair back from her face and making more room for him. He begins to wash her, and she smiles slightly, finding another cloth and stealing the soap so she can do the same for him.
Kissing Weaver back fiercely, Loren would be the first to admit that there was something a bit desperate and clingy about it. However, it seemed she was feeling much the same.
Unfortunately, the conversation about Zariah didn't help his mood. Narrowing his eyes, he finally nodded at the Warden's words. "We do. And an ability to manipulate the mind couldn't have gone to a nicer person." The words came out more as a muttered growl than anything else.
As she tried to steal the soap and lather him up, he easily evaded her. "Nope. You're about to have an entire region to deal with. Let me take care of you for one night before you have a whole people to take care of." Despite the firm statement, there was something pleading in his eyes.
Maybe there was something desperate and clingy in the kiss, but after nearly dying, it seems acceptable. Nothing like a night of destruction to make it clear what really matters. So she doesn’t mind if they kiss too fiercely, if they cling to one another for support.
Weaver lets out a huff of breath at that. ”Anyone else wouldn’t want that, I suspect. But perhaps we can be done worrying about Zariah for at least five minutes.” Maybe for five minutes they could be done worrying about Zariah, about Halo, about everything that would be the rest of their lives.
”Fine,” she says, trying to sound annoyed, though she isn’t really. Instead she settles a little deeper into the water, letting him take care of her. She didn’t mind a little pampering.
Loren let out a huff of laughter, even though he wasn't amused. "Fine. Five minutes." Eyes narrowing, he gave Weaver his best attempt at a playful look, which, under the circumstances, was pretty bad. "But I'm counting."
When she relented, he smiled, though it was sad around the edges. Shifting so she could settle in more comfortably, he scrubbed every inch of her, from her head to her toes, though he left her hair alone for now. Whenever there was even a hint of the water cooling, he warmed it with his magic, bringing it to a comfortable temperature. The fingers of his free hand trailed behind the one he was cleaning with, tracing every part of her skin and her body.
”Our lives will be spent looking over our shoulder for her and every other threat. Maybe we deserve one whole night to pretend that’s not true. Maybe we deserve more than five minutes.” Because life would never be the same again, and in some ways, it would never be truly hers again. She lived for others now, or at least, so long as she bore this title.
She lets him clean her, enjoying the feeling of his fingers as they trail behind the cloth and soap. Eventually she is clean, though still, she doesn’t rush him. The water stays warm with her magic, and at some point, she tries to clean him as well if he will let her. ”We should probably at least try to sleep at some point,” she says with a bit of a sigh, knowing they cannot stay here forever, even if she would like to.
Jaw feathering with tension, Loren rubbed his temples. "I might be able to take care of her." Although his tone was reluctant, he met Weaver's gaze. "She respects power." He took a deep breath. "And I am more powerful than her."
Only when he was done scrubbing her, and exploring her skin a bit, did he finally relent and let her return the favor. As she cleaned him off, his fingers continued to roam. The warm water, and the events of the day, had made him more than a bit drowsy. "Mmmm," he hummed in agreement as his arms moved to encircle her and pull him into his body.
